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It took fifteen years of never giving up on this book to get to this day, and you know, yeah… I feel pretty proud at this moment. The book was always there in my desk drawer, and it always there in my mind.

I just knew that I could never give up.

And now here it is, published through an incredible press, Elephant’s Bookshelf Press. This house has never published books like mine before, like Lost Wings, but they were willing to take a chance on Richard Eastman, Avesta, Demarco, and Lucifer. And for that, I will always be grateful.

So, after all these long years, this novel about a war vet that comes home one night to find a wingless angel in his bathtub and then goes off on the mission of his life to find those wings, is finally here.

The wonderful Barbara Sissel “tagged” me on one of those conga line things where you answer four questions, then find another writer and have them answer the questions, and then they, etc.

You get the idea.

I don’t usually do these anymore, however, Barbara is so nice, and I really liked the questions. So, without further ado, here we go:

What am I writing?

I’m currently working on a standalone novel thriller revolving around a secret research project. This one is as far from Mallen as I can get. In order to grow as a writer, I feel you have to keep pushing yourself harder and harder, getting better with each book.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

The co-protagonists involved are very singular, imo. And I can’t say more, or my agent would roast certain of my body parts over an open flame.

Why do I write what I do?

Ah! The Million Dollar Question! I write what I write because I grew up in a violent and jaded age. An age filled with cynicism (Watergate, the Vietnam War, Altamont, etc). I grew up watching (at a VERY young age) very violent TV shows and movies. Movies like Death Wish, The Warriors, Magnum Force, The Seven Ups, etc. I was also exposed to the violent world of pornography at about age 8 (my father and uncle owned a chain of adult bookstores). All these items, once dumped into my head and combined, helped to create a perception that we’re almost nothing but violence. However, on the other side of that is the part of me that believes in having a strong moral compass. It’s more and more a necessity than ever before. Mark Mallen, the protagonist of my “Damage” novels (Untold Damage, Critical Damage, and Innocent Damage in April 2015) possesses such a moral compass. He’s the proverbial white knight, walking the mean and dark streets of murder and mayhem. Sometimes the right answer isn’t the best answer. I love writing characters who can make that hard choice, because really… I hope I could if I were in their shoes.

How does my writing process work?

My process has been growing and changing with every book. I remember, way back when, that I would edit as I went. Now I just rip through the first draft knowing that book only emerges during the subsequent drafts. The process has also changed in that as my stories get more and more complex, I’ve needed to map things out. That’s what I’m doing here:

I’m plotting out the story, color coding each character and their storyline. As you can see, as the story moves forward it begins to expand. It helps me keep track of where subplots might be lagging too far behind the main storyline. Once I’ve done the initial draft of the book, then I do this:

I take the book apart chapter by chapter. I then write a synopsis for that chapter and attach it with a paperclip. I’ve color coded the story again in the same manner as the cards. Again, I’m very visual and so this really helps me “see the whole playing field”. After this stage, I’ll go back and do another draft, then hopefully I’m at the polishing stage, where I shine each sentence and make sure all my metaphors are in order and that the climax is the best it can possibly be.

So, that’s it.

And please do not forget to check out Barbara Taylor Sissel. Here’s all about her: Barbara Taylor Sissel once lived on the grounds of a prison facility in Kentucky, which might explain the nature of her writing, especially her latest: Safe Keeping and Evidence of Life. Driven by the compelling reality that at the heart of every crime, there’s a family, her novels are issue-oriented, threaded with elements of suspense and defined by their particular emphasis on how crime affects families of both victim and perpetrator. She now lives and writes from her bucolic Story House near Austin, Texas. Find Barbara on Facebook and Twitter and Goodreads.

Sorry for the lag in posts. I’ve just started writing a new book, a book which I believe will really rock. I’ve also been getting over the few readings I did, and then I got sick.

Anyway, here I am.

The Berkeley reading at Books Inc. was completely awesome. The crew there really took of me, and they had some great, GREAT signage up. Check it out:

Walking up to the store and seeing that was a wonderful way to start the evening. Here’s a sample of the crowd that showed up to support Mallen:

It was also the hottest day of the year to that date. Just roasting.

A week later, I went to the San Francisco Books Inc. Marina store. Again, another great crew. AND to top it off, I finally got to meet some of the authors from an online book group I’m in. Meeting (L-R) Sere Prince Halverson, Anne Barnhill, and Amy Franklin-Willis was so much fun. To connect with people in person that you’ve only interacted with online is always a blast. And where at the Berkeley reading it was the hottest day of the year, a week later it was cold and drizzling in the city.

Great storytellers, and great people.

Here’s one of me looking like a priest reading from the Bible:

Good times. Honestly, I enjoy doing readings, however, I must admit to really stressing out in the days leading up to the event. And another good sign of how things are going is that both events were well-attended. Everyone is telling me that Critical Damage is better than Untold Damage, and that’s what you want as an author: to be getting better and better with each book.

(I also love how I always seem to be reading about violence, death, and sexual depravity in front of the children’s book section.)

The second Mark Mallen novel, CRITICAL DAMAGE, has arrived after a VERY tumultuous year.

Here’s what Library Journal has to say about the second Mark Mallen novel: “Lewis’s second entry in his gritty, no-holds-barred series (after Untold Damage) portrays the darker side of San Francisco and features a struggling hero still finding his way. Not for the faint of heart, this chilling tale of sexual depravity is perfect for conspiracy aficionados.”

So, get your copy now! You can find it at your local bookstore, or barring that, at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to review it. And again, thank you all for your undying support over the last couple years. SO very appreciated.

“There are some shows that change your life when you’re a kid. For some of you out there it might’ve been The Outer Limits. Or maybe it was Night Gallery. Perhaps even The A-Team.

For me?

S.W.A.T. was one of those shows.

In some other posts I’ve done here, I talked previously about a couple television shows that predate S.W.A.T., The Mod Squad, and also Harry O. I talked about how those shows reflected the times in which they were created, and I mentioned how S.W.A.T. was different. Now I’m going to tell you why.“

(UPDATED 1/30/14 WITH ANOTHER READING! SEE #3) The 2nd Mark Mallen book, Critical Damage arrives in less than three months. April 8th. Can you believe it? Where does the time go? Not only did I make some business cards (see above), I’ve already scheduled a couple events I’d like to invite you to (if you’re in the bay area when they happen):

1. The Critical Damage launch party will be held at Diesel Books in Oakland on Thursday, April 10th @ 7pm. There will be some food things to nibble on and of course wine, beer, and maybe even Johnny Walker Black. (How could I have a Mallen party and NOT supply Scotch?) My thanks goes out to the Diesel Books event coordinator, Cheryl Ryan. She did a great job working with me to get this set up.

2. I will be giving a reading at Books Inc. Berkeley, on Wednesday, April 30th @ 7pm. Special thanks goes out to Anna Fonte, the Berkeley Books Inc. events coordinator. Such a warm and welcoming, helpful person.

3. I’m not also giving a reading at Books Inc. S.F. Marina, on Thursday, May 8th @ 7pm. Special thanks goes out to Amylia Pounds, the Chestnut Street Books Inc. event coordinator. She rocked at helping to get this set up.

And support your local independent book store, people! It would be a very sad, gray world without independent bookstores!

That’s all the news that’s fit to print right now. I’ll be having two or three contests/giveaways, so stay tuned. You need a Mark Mallen bowling shirt, yeah?